How to Remove Happy Trail Hair

The "happy trail" is a common moniker for the line of body hair between the naval and the pubic region. Men tend not to mind having a little hair on their abdomens, but the beauty obsessed world we live in demands perfectly hairless, silky smooth skin from women. Removing your "happy trail" hair can be as temporary and inexpensive as shaving it or as permanent and painful as electrolysis. For a happy-medium balancing the cost and required frequency, waxing at home should satisfy your hair removal needs.

Let it grow. Waxing is the most effective when the hair being waxed is at least one eighth of an inch long. If you have been shaving your happy trail, let that hair grow until it is long enough to wax. If you have never tried to remove this hair before, you may need to trim it. Hair longer than half an inch can overlap too much and prevent the hairs underneath from pulling out with the wax.

Read the manufacturer's instructions included in your home waxing kit.

Perform a patch-test if you have never used the brand of wax you will be using for your abdomen before. Make sure you won't react to the wax by doing a test patch for sensitivity at least 30 minutes before you plan to wax.

Clean the area you will be waxing using antibacterial hand sanitiser. Allow the sanitiser to dry completely before continuing.

Shake some talcum powder into your hand and pat it into the hairy part of your abdomen. The powder will absorb any remaining moisture and oil from your skin and hair, allowing the wax to adhere better while also creating a slight barrier between the wax and your skin.

Apply a strip of wax in the direction of hair growth. If the area you are waxing is wider than one strip of wax, start off to one side or the other and wax across to the other side. Ensure a strong adhesion of the wax to your hair by rubbing the strip down into your abdomen in the direction of hair growth.

Pull your skin taut with your non-dominant hand, usually pressing down on the skin of your stomach underneath where you are waxing is the most helpful.

Pull the wax strip quickly against the direction of hair growth, keeping your pulling hand parallel to your stomach rather than lifting perpendicular to your skin.

Repeat steps six through eight, working across the happy trail until the hair is removed satisfactorily. Never wax over the same skin more than twice, so if the hair doesn't all come up in two attempts, you may need to wait a couple of days for your skin to recover before trying again.

Apply a small amount of hand sanitiser or tea tree oil to the freshly waxed area to disinfect the newly opened hair follicles. This may sting slightly, but will help prevent breakouts. If you feel discomfort after waxing, you can apply an aloe vera gel or soothing ointment.

Warning

Never wax if you are taking a skin-thinning medication including retinols or accutane.

Tips and warnings

Never wax if you are taking a skin-thinning medication including retinols or accutane.